


Shelter

by MistressKat



Category: NCIS
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23880943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressKat/pseuds/MistressKat
Summary: Everything will be better in the morning.
Relationships: Anthony DiNozzo/Timothy McGee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	Shelter

When the knock finally comes, Tim can’t say he’s exactly surprised. It is earlier than he expected though. He’d thought for sure Tony would be stubborn enough to wait until the next day, then casually invite himself over with some pretense of introducing Tim to another old movie or talking through a case. 

Instead, he gets this: Tony leaning on the doorway, wearing an old, ratty hoodie, and looking as exhausted as one would expect for two in the morning. He offers no excuses, just flicks his gaze up briefly before dropping it back to the floor. 

Wordlessly, Tim steps aside and waits for Tony to shuffle in. 

He’s worried, but not nearly as worried as he’d been, lying in bed awake and alone, knowing Tony was doing the same on the other side of the city.

They don’t talk. As soon as the door shuts, Tony reaches for him, fingers tangling in the hem of Tim’s t-shirt. He tugs, just a little, and still doesn’t look up properly. 

That’s okay, Tim doesn’t mind. He knows how much just showing up must have cost Tony. He steps into Tony’s personal space readily and pulls him into a tight hug. It turns clinging and desperate for a moment, and not just from Tony’s part. 

Finally, Tim gets himself under control enough to gentle his touch, to bring to stop the _‘what if, too close, I can’t, I can’t lose him’_ spiraling through his mind.

Tony lets out a long, hitching breath and slumps against him, his face buried into the curve of Tim’s shoulder. 

“C’mon,” Tim murmurs after a minute. His voice cracks slightly, partly from sheer exhaustion, partly, _mostly_ , from relief. “Let’s go to bed.”

Tony follows him willingly, toeing off his shoes, letting Tim help him out of hoodie and jeans. He’s still quiet; warm and pliant as Tim curls around him under the covers, hand coming to rest over Tony’s heart. 

Sleep comes easily now, and Tim doesn’t even try to fight it, just rests his forehead against the back of Tony’s neck and closes his eyes. Everything will be better in the morning. 

And maybe Tony will still be here for that too. 


End file.
